Is modern technology stifling real communication

At Peppermint we all remember a time when, to get a job done, you had to pick up the ‘phone to speak to designers, printers, venues and other suppliers. Often a matter could easily be sorted within ten minutes and even though you may have never met your contact, it was possible to build a solid and productive relationship by speaking to them regularly.

Nowadays, in a world dominated by email, we are almost slaves to our inboxes and this has only increased with the introduction of smart ‘phones; a recent report suggested that, on average, we check our ‘phones every six minutes.

Sometimes ten emails are exchanged when one call can achieve the same result. It is important to encourage employees (especially those under 30) to pick up the ‘phone more often to build better relationships with suppliers and clients and, arguably, to be more efficient.

Of course, written confirmation is required in many circumstances, but a short email summary of a conversation will often suffice.

The same is true of handling difficult clients or those who have made complaints. One conversation is often enough to placate someone and put their mind at rest. And consider how many times a misread email or text has caused the confusion or misinformation in the first place.

We would argue that the constant pinging of emails can be highly inefficient and can easily interrupt the flow of work, especially if your work requires a high level of concentration or, like us, relies on a creative flow. Ask yourself this… How much work would get done if you someone popped their head around your desk to ask you a question at three minute intervals?

Peppermint Tip:

For one week, set your inbox to deliver your mails periodically, perhaps every 30 minutes, rather than as soon as received and see how much more productive your time is.